turn Off automatic updates in Windows 10

Turn off automatic updates in Windows 10

Windows update is an important component and part of Windows operating system. He regularly checks Microsoft’s servers for available updates, fixes, and device drivers. If any are detected, it reports this and prompts you to download and install them. This is very important because the updates improve performance, reliability, stability and security of the system.

It is no secret that Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8/8.1 to configure the behavior of update: download and install the updates can be either automatically or manually, you can select which updates should be installed and which not; you can even completely disable checking for updates. It allows you to decide on the feasibility of installing specific updates and at the same time gives you the opportunity to once again clog the bandwidth of the Internet channel when it comes on slow connections.

With Windows 10, but Microsoft has left users without any choice – the Pro edition allows you to defer installing updates only for a short time, while the users of Windows 10 Home is not allowed even that. In other words, the new version of the operating system downloads and installs updates automatically without notification. It would seem, nothing wrong with that, but actually it is not so, because often the updates cause different problems. Sometimes even comes to the fact that after installing the next batch of patches, the system simply stops booting.

Fortunately, Windows 10 still has the ability to block or to download updates manually. Below are all the possible ways that will work in all editions OS: Windows 10 Home, Pro, etc.

So let’s not waste time and learn how to take control of the process of upgrading the system.

This method will allow you to configure Windows update to postpone the automatic download of certain updates, at least for a while, and also to prevent the automatic restart of the computer. However, to disable or block updates using this method you will not.

1. Open the Settings app and navigate to the Upgrade and security -> Windows update.

2. Click on the «advanced settings».

3. First, select «Notify about planning a reboot». So you disable the Windows automatically restart the computer after downloading and installing the updates.

4. Now turn off the option «When you upgrade Windows to provide updates for other Microsoft products».

5. Now enable the option «Defer updates». When this option is enabled, new updates will be downloaded and installed within a few days or months, with the exception of updates to the system security.

6. Finally, click on «Choose how and when to update» and toggle «Update from multiple locations» to «Off». This will help in saving Internet traffic, since this function works on the principle of P2P technology or BitTorrent clients out there (see here).

Method 2: Disable automatic download of device drivers

The new system still allows you to prevent the automatic download and install drivers. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Run dialog using the shortcut key + R.

2. Enter the command rundll32 newdev.dll,DeviceInternetSettingUi and press Enter to open the window «device installation Settings».

3. In the opened window, first select «No, let me choose», and then «Never install driver software from Windows update».

4. Save the changes.

After this Windows will always look for and install the drivers from the computer, and to update the system will apply only if a suitable driver is not found on the hard drive.

Method 3: Hide updates using the official tool Show or hide updates

Even before the official launch of Windows 10 Microsoft has released a program that returns to the system the ability to hide unwanted updates, drivers or system updates.

1. First download the tool from the following link.

2. Run the program and click «Next» to start scanning.

3. Then click «Hide updates».

4. On the next screen, select the updates you want to hide, and then click Next. Hidden updates if you later want to return, instead of the «Hide updates» select «Show hidden updates».

Method 4: Install the Wi-Fi Internet connection as metered

This is another workaround to prevent Windows 10 automatically download and install updates. The system doesn’t load the new update, you just need to configure the Internet connection as a metered connection.

1. Open the menu «Settings» and go to «Network and Internet».

2. Now see the wireless network, go to «advanced settings» and switch the slider to «Set as metered connection» in the «On»position.

That’s all. Now «ten» will not automatically download and install new updates as long as your Internet connection is listed as the limit.

Method 5: Configure group policy or registry

Now let’s talk about advanced ways.

Although Microsoft removed the ability to control the download updates, update settings using the local group policy Editor and registry Editor still work.

Just note that changing the group policy is not available to users of Windows 10 Home, however, if you have the Pro version, you can enable any notification about the download and installation, or automatic download and notification for installation, or automatic download and scheduled installation.

But there is one caveat. Because Microsoft has completely replaced the old update new, modern application, group policy settings or registry tweaks do not take effect immediately. Even after you restart the computer or run the command gpupdate /force you will not see any changes in Windows Update. That is, if you open the update settings, you will find that there is still enabled the option «automatic (recommended)».

So how to get Windows 10 to apply our group policy or modifying the registry? Is actually very simple. You just need to click the «Check for updates» in Windows update.

Once you click this button, the system immediately applies the change, and when you open advanced settings in Windows Update, you will see that the new settings were applied successfully.

So, let’s make some changes in local group policy Editor.

1. On the keyboard press + R, type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the local group policy Editor.

3. In the right part of the window, open the policy «configure automatic updates».

4. In the opened window, click «Enabled» and in «Parameters» select one of the following options:

2 – notification of downloading and installing

3 – automatic download and installation notification

4 – automatic download and scheduled installation

5 – Allow local admin to choose settings

Choosing the latter option, you will have the opportunity to choose options in drop-down list on the settings page of Windows update.

Choosing the first option, if new updates the system will notify you about them through notification Center, and clicking on this notification will open a window of Windows update with the list of new updates and ability to download them.

If you disable the updates you need to completely, this will help you to registry Editor.

1. Enter regedit in the Run dialog box or in the search bar and press Enter. This will open the registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesmicrosoftwindows

3. Create a new partition in the Windows folder and name it WindowsUpdate.

4. Create another section (subsection) in WindowsUpdate and name it AUto result to this registry branch:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesmicrosoftwindowswindowsupdateau

5. Finally, select the section AU and in the right part of the window registry create a new DWORD value named NoAutoUpdate and set its value to 1.

6. Close the registry, open Windows update and click «Check for updates» to apply the changes.

Open advanced settings of Windows Update, you will see that the check for updates is no longer functioning.

To undo it, just delete the NoAutoUpdate parameter or set the value to 0 (zero).

Method 6: Disable the Windows Update service

Another way that allows you to 100% block the download and installation of updates in Windows 10.